Vehicle rooftop mounted advertising device

ABSTRACT

A rooftop mounted advertising device ( 6 ) for a motor vehicle comprises of a luggage compartment ( 1, 3 ) having the capacity to contain at least a baby seat measuring in excess of 500 mm by 250 mm by 300 mm. Advertising display panels incorporated in the advertising device ( 6 ) have a substantial vertical profile when viewed from either side or the rear of the device. Illumination means for the advertising display panels ( 6 ) are protected from impact with articles in the luggage compartment ( 1, 6 ). An access door is adapted to provide ready access to the luggage compartment ( 1, 6 ) without its removal from its rooftop position.

The present invention relates to an advertising device for use atopmotor vehicles and in particular to a rooftop mounted advertisingdisplay device having luggage carrying capacity adequate to contain atleast a child safety seat.

For a number of years the taxi industry has been exploiting theadditional revenue available through display of advertising material onthe external surfaces of taxis and upon devices attached to the externalpanels of taxis designed to increase the surface area or visibility ofsuch advertising. To date the most popular display device for thispurpose is a thermoplastic moulding attached to the boot lid of taxiswhich presents a relatively large flat surface visible from the rear ofthe taxi and capable of bearing advertising material. Rooftop mountedadvertising displays are however also available.

Safety legislation which has come into force relatively recentlyrequires that appropriate apparatus be carried in taxis in order to seatand restrain babies and infants. Infant seats and restraint systems arehowever very bulky and present taxi owners with serious problems insofaras carrying a child seat in a taxi either seriously reduces thepassenger carrying capacity of the taxi in respect of persons other thaninfants or alternatively seriously reduces the luggage carrying capacityof the taxi.

Luggage carrying capacity is of course of paramount importance when thetaxi is required to work areas such as airports, train stations and busstations where passengers are typically accompanied by voluminousluggage.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide anadvertising display device for a motor vehicle which augments theluggage carrying capacity of the vehicle.

According to the present invention there is provided a rooftop mountedadvertising device for a motor vehicle comprising a luggage compartmenthaving the capacity to contain at least a baby seat measuring in excessof 500 mm by 250 mm by 300 mm; advertising display panels incorporatedin the advertising device having a substantial vertical profile whenviewed from either side or the rear of the device; illumination meansfor the advertising display panels being protected from impact witharticles in the luggage compartment; an access door to the luggagecompartment adapted to provide ready access to the luggage compartmentwithout removal of the compartment from its rooftop position.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an advertising device in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the advertising device of FIG. 1 in theopen position;

FIG. 3 is a part transverse section through the advertising device ofFIGS. 1 and 2 and;

FIGS. 4-7 are side elevations of an advertising display panel beingprogressively installed in the advertising device depicted in FIG. 1-3.

FIGS. 8-11 are transverse cross sectional views through A-A′ of thearticles depicted in FIGS. 4-7 respectively.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 1 there is disclosed an advertisingdevice having a base 1 with a lower contour 2 shaped so as to conform tothe profile of the roof of a motor vehicle. The base 1 co-operates witha lid 3 so that together they define a luggage compartment therebetweenof adequate dimension to contain a child safety seat or other luggage.In this embodiment the base 1 is hingedly attached to lid 3 in orderthat ready access be provided to the luggage compartment therebetween.There is also provided a gas strut 4 adapted to bias the base and lid toan open position as is depicted in FIG. 2 when the two components arenot latched together.

The luggage compartment is substantially rectangular cubic in shape andhaving the capacity to hold a baby seat having overall dimensions of 600mm by 350 mm by 400 mm.

It will be appreciated that the lid 3 of the advertising device isshaped so as to have an aerodynamic front profile at 5 with a relativelyflat advertising display 6 on either side. The display areas 6 presentrelatively large profiles when viewed in a side elevation for thedisplay of advertising material. A like display panel is provided in therear (not shown) of the unit for advertising display purposes.

As is best viewed from FIG. 3 the advertising display panels 6 may bebacklit by fluorescent lighting 7 contained within lid 3 and protectedfrom the luggage carrying area by a light box cover or bulkhead 8. It isof course important that shifting of luggage contained within the devicedue to cornering, braking or other forces generated by the motor vehiclewhen it is in motion do not allow the cargo to damage any part of thelighting or advertising.

In addition to fluorescent lighting tubes 7 the advertising device mayalso incorporate other lighting and panels such as an illuminated “taxi”sign 14 such as is normally present atop taxis and a spotlight 15 as isoften utilised by taxis to assist in identifying street numbers.

It will be appreciated that a device in accordance with the presentinvention augments the luggage carrying capacity of a taxi whileproviding substantial advertising display visible from either side ofthe taxi or from the rear.

The system of affixation of translucent advertising display panels tothe advertising device of the present invention is also unique and isdesigned to overcome difficulties with existing methods of affixation.Advertising display panels need to be changed from time to time as theadvertisers finish their advertising programmes and new advertisers taketheir place. This change in signage can be a very time consumingexercise as hundreds of vehicles can be involved. Simple systems such asthe use of self adhesive backed vinyl signs are for exampleinappropriate as they are hard to apply neatly without wrinkles and tendto weather and curl up at the edges. Such vinyl signage is alsodifficult to remove without leaving glue or gum deposits and the removalof the deposits can scratch the translucent window upon which they needto be mounted therefore effecting the light transmission qualities ofthe window. Other affixation methods for signage such as the inclusionof tracks or slide-in pockets on the external face of the advertisingdevice are unsightly and require locking means. Accordingly a uniquesystem has been developed for affixation of signage to advertisingdevices in accordance with the present invention.

According to the system which is depicted with reference to FIGS. 4-11inclusive a translucent advertising panel 16 having significant formstability such as a 2 mm thick thermoplastic panel is inserted into anaperture 17 in the side of the advertising device which aperture has ashape substantially conforming to that of the panel but being marginallyshorter in height at each corresponding position along its length thanthe height of the corresponding position along the length of the panel16.

The aperture 17 in the advertising device is provided on its internalsurface with a downwardly facing clip or channel 18 adjacent its upperedge and an upwardly facing clip or channel 19 on its internal lowerface; the clips or channels being dimensioned so as to snugly receivethe upper 20 and lower 21 edges respectively of the advertising panel 16with the depth of the upper clip or channel 18 exceeding that of thelower clip or channel 19 such that when the upper edge of theadvertising panel is introduced from the outside of the advertisingdevice substantially fully into the upper clip or channel 18 the loweredge 21 of the panel 16 clears the outside lower edge of the aperture inthe advertising device thereby permitting the lower edge 21 of theadvertising panel 16 to be introduced into the lower clip or channel 19.

The depth of the lower clip or channel 19 is less than that of the upperclip or channel (preferably by about 50%) so that when the advertisingpanel rests in the bottom of the lower clip or channel 19 the upper edge20 of the advertising panel still lies captivated within the upper clipor channel and within the upper edge of the aperture 17 within theadvertising device. In this embodiment a channel is employed rather thana clip and furthermore the upper channel 18 extends down into sidechannels 22.

It will also be noted that the shape of the advertising panel 16 andcorrespondingly shaped aperture 17 in the side of the advertising deviceis such that the length as measured from side channel 22 to opposingside channel 22 decreases from the bottom 21 to top 22. By choosing anadvertising panel of such shape it is ensured that as the advertisingpanel is slipped into the advertising device from bottom to top thesides of the advertising panel will engage with the side tracks 22despite the fact that the advertising panel is in being introduced intothe advertising device from the outside.

If the sides of the advertising panel are for example vertical andparallel then in order for the panel to engage the side tracks laterallyextending slots (not shown) would have to be provided in the outsidesurface of the sides of the aperture 17 to facilitate introduction ofthe panel into the side tracks 22 as the panel is necessarily longerthan the corresponding aperture 17 in the advertising device at anygiven point along its height in order that it engage the track and bemaintained within the advertising device by the side tracks 22.

It has been found that advertising panels in accordance with the presentinvention as above described may be very quickly introduced and removedfrom advertising devices in accordance with the present inventionutilising readily available glass handling suction cups without risk ofdamage to the advertising panels

It should be appreciated that alternative embodiments of the presentinvention may be devised apart from that above described. For example asan alternative to a horizontal split between the base and lid accesspanels may be provided at alternative locations such as a rear accessdoor.

Furthermore the device may be configured to so as to attach to roofracks rather than directly to the roof of the vehicle. It is essentialhowever that the advertising panels and associated lighting be protectedfrom damage due to shifting of the cargo and that the cargo carryingcapacity is at least adequate to contain a child seat, the averagedimensions of which are 650 mm by 390 mm by 420 mm.

1. A rooftop mounted advertising device for a motor vehicle comprising a luggage compartment having the capacity to contain at least a baby seat measuring in excess of 500 mm by 250 mm by 300 mm; advertising display panels incorporated in the advertising device having a substantial vertical profile when viewed from either side or the rear of the device; illumination means for the advertising display panels being protected from impact with articles in the luggage compartment; an access door to the luggage compartment adapted to provide ready access to the luggage compartment without removal of the compartment from its rooftop position.
 2. A rooftop mounted advertising device for a motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 wherein the luggage compartment has the capacity to contain a baby seat having dimensions in excess of 600 mm by 350 mm by 400 mm.
 3. A rooftop mounted advertising device for a motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 wherein the advertising display panels are translucent.
 4. A rooftop mounted advertising device for a motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 wherein the advertising display panels are fabricated from thermoplastic material.
 5. A rooftop mounted advertising device for a motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 adapted to have an advertising panel with significant form stability inserted into an aperture in the side thereof such aperture having a shape substantially conforming to that of the panel but being marginally shorter in height at each corresponding position along its length than the height of the corresponding position along the length of the panel; the aperture in the advertising device being provided on its internal surface with a downwardly facing clip or channel adjacent its upper edge and an upwardly facing clip or channel on its internal lower face; the clips or channels being dimensioned so as to snugly receive the upper and lower edges respectively of the advertising panel with the depth of the upper clip or channel exceeding that of the lower clip or channel such that when the upper edge of the advertising panel is introduced from the outside of the advertising device substantially fully into the upper clip or channel the lower edge of the panel clears the outside lower edge of the aperture in the advertising device thereby permitting the lower edge of the advertising panel to be introduced into the lower clip or channel; the depth of the lower clip or channel being less than that of the upper clip or channel so that when the advertising panel rests in the bottom of the lower clip or channel the upper edge of the advertising panel still lies captivated within the upper clip or channel and within the upper edge of the aperture in the advertising device.
 6. A rooftop mounted advertising device for a motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 adapted to have an advertising panel with significant form stability inserted into an aperture in the side thereof such aperture having a shape substantially conforming to that of the panel but being marginally shorter in height at each corresponding position along its length than the height of the corresponding position along the length of the panel; the shape of the advertising panel and correspondingly shaped aperture in the side of the advertising device being such that the length decreases from the bottom to top; the aperture in the advertising device being provided on its internal surface with a downwardly facing clip or channel adjacent its upper edge and an upwardly facing clip or channel on its internal lower face; the clips or channels being dimensioned so as to snugly receive the upper and lower edges respectively of the advertising panel with the depth of the upper clip or channel exceeding that of the lower clip or channel such that when the upper edge of the advertising panel is introduced from the outside of the advertising device substantially fully into the upper clip or channel the lower edge of the panel clears the outside lower edge of the aperture in the advertising device thereby permitting the lower edge of the advertising panel to be introduced into the lower clip or channel; the depth of the lower clip or channel being less than that of the upper clip or channel so that when the advertising panel rests in the bottom of the lower clip or channel the upper edge of the advertising panel still lies captivated within the upper clip or channel and within the upper edge of the aperture in the advertising device.
 7. A rooftop mounted advertising device for a motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 adapted to have an advertising panel with significant form stability inserted into an aperture in the side thereof such aperture having a shape substantially conforming to that of the panel but being marginally shorter in height at each corresponding position along its length than the height of the corresponding position along the length of the panel; the aperture in the advertising device being provided on its internal surface with a downwardly facing clip or channel adjacent its upper edge and an upwardly facing clip or channel on its internal lower face; the clips or channels being dimensioned so as to snugly receive the upper and lower edges respectively of the advertising panel with the depth of the upper clip or channel exceeding that of the lower clip or channel such that when the upper edge of the advertising panel is introduced from the outside of the advertising device substantially fully into the upper clip or channel the lower edge of the panel clears the outside lower edge of the aperture in the advertising device thereby permitting the lower edge of the advertising panel to be introduced into the lower clip or channel; the depth of the lower clip or channel being less than that of the upper clip or channel so that when the advertising panel rests in the bottom of the lower clip or channel the upper edge of the advertising panel still lies captivated within the upper clip or channel and within the upper edge of the aperture in the advertising device; the access door of the advertising device comprising a lid hingedly attached to a base in order that ready access be provided to the luggage compartment therebetween; the advertising display panels being attached to the lid.
 8. A rooftop mounted advertising device for a motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 adapted to have an advertising panel with significant form stability inserted into an aperture in the side thereof such aperture having a shape substantially conforming to that of the panel but being marginally shorter in height at each corresponding position along its length than the height of the corresponding position along the length of the panel; the aperture in the advertising device being provided on its internal surface with a downwardly facing clip or channel adjacent its upper edge and an upwardly facing clip or channel on its internal lower face; the clips or channels being dimensioned so as to snugly receive the upper and lower edges respectively of the advertising panel with the depth of the upper clip or channel exceeding that of the lower clip or channel such that when the upper edge of the advertising panel is introduced from the outside of the advertising device substantially fully into the upper clip or channel the lower edge of the panel clears the outside lower edge of the aperture in the advertising device thereby permitting the lower edge of the advertising panel to be introduced into the lower clip or channel; the depth of the lower clip or channel being less than that of the upper clip or channel so that when the advertising panel rests in the bottom of the lower clip or channel the upper edge of the advertising panel still lies captivated within the upper clip or channel and within the upper edge of the aperture in the advertising device; the access door of the advertising device comprising a lid hingedly attached to a base in order that ready access be provided to the luggage compartment therebetween; a strut adapted to bias the base and lid to an open position when the two components are not latched together; the advertising display panels being attached to the lid.
 9. A rooftop mounted advertising device for a motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 adapted to have an advertising panel with significant form stability inserted into an aperture in the side thereof such aperture having a shape substantially conforming to that of the panel but being marginally shorter in height at each corresponding position along its length than the height of the corresponding position along the length of the panel; the aperture in the advertising device being provided on its internal surface with a downwardly facing clip or channel adjacent its upper edge and an upwardly facing clip or channel on its internal lower face; the clips or channels being dimensioned so as to snugly receive the upper and lower edges respectively of the advertising panel with the depth of the upper clip or channel exceeding that of the lower clip or channel such that when the upper edge of the advertising panel is introduced from the outside of the advertising device substantially fully into the upper clip or channel the lower edge of the panel clears the outside lower edge of the aperture in the advertising device thereby permitting the lower edge of the advertising panel to be introduced into the lower clip or channel; the depth of the lower clip or channel being less than that of the upper clip or channel so that when the advertising panel rests in the bottom of the lower clip or channel the upper edge of the advertising panel still lies captivated within the upper clip or channel and within the upper edge of the aperture in the advertising device; the access door of the advertising device comprising a lid hingedly attached to a base in order that ready access be provided to the luggage compartment therebetween; a gas strut adapted to bias the base and lid to an open position when the two components are not latched together; the advertising display panels being attached to the lid.
 10. A rooftop mounted advertising device for a motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 wherein the access door of the advertising device comprises a lid hingedly attached to a base in order that ready access be provided to the luggage compartment therebetween; all attachment means necessary to facilitate attachment of the advertising device to a vehicle being directly or indirectly affixed to the base rather than the lid and all illumination, electrical and electronic parts being directly or indirectly affixed to the lid rather than the base; the hinges and any other connections between lid and base being of a quick release variety such that the lid may be readily removed for servicing.
 11. A rooftop mounted advertising device for a motor vehicle in accordance with claim 1 wherein the access door of the advertising device comprises a lid hingedly attached to a base in order that ready access be provided to the luggage compartment therebetween; all attachment means necessary to facilitate attachment of the advertising device to a vehicle being directly or indirectly affixed to the base rather than the lid and all illumination, electrical and electronic parts as well as advertising panels being directly or indirectly affixed to the lid rather than the base; the hinges and any other connections between lid and base being of a quick release of a variety such that the lid may be readily removed for servicing. 